BROCKTON – Alex Lugo, 8, hugged a Yoda stuffed animal close to his chest; his friend Jaden McCormack, 9, was in tears next to him.

Both boys were at the funeral for their best friend, Jesse Heikkila, the 7-year-old Middleboro boy who died of a rare form of cancer last week. Hundreds gathered at St. Edith Stein Parish in Brockton on Wednesday morning to say farewell.

"I brought this from my house because he (Jesse) has one and he likes 'Star Wars' and Yoda was his favorite," Lugo said. Heikkila loved super heroes and was a big fan of film series "Star Wars."

Lugo's mother, Erin Patriarca, 31, of Middleboro, said he brought the doll from home because it makes him feel closer to Jesse.

"Alex and Jesse went to Kindercare together. I wound up meeting Jesse's mom through there and she's wonderful. Wonderful family," Patriarca said. "I'm proud to say I know them. Jesse was just amazing and brave and strong and he'll always be my hero."

McCormack said Heikkila was a fun and loving friend.

He said the two would play Legos together. One of their proudest achievements was a mansion that they built.

"I'm very sad," McCormack said. He said he would miss playing with him and being able to visit him.

McCormack's mom, Jill Henault, 28, of Carver said, "It was very hard to watch him (Jaden) react the way he did to it. It was very, very sad."

"They're so strong," Henault said of the Heikkila family. "They're just somebody that you look up to. In a situation like this they've always maintained a positive vibe and been so supportive of everybody else and they're going through the toughest time out of all of us."